Sponge mops of various types and designs have been commercially available for many years. They are widely used in the home because of their light weight and efficiency in cleaning kitchen and bathroom floors and other surfaces.
One specific type of sponge mop is referred to as a roller sponge mop. Such a mop has a sponge mounted in a retainer. The mop includes a rod which has a hook at one end which engages the retainer. When the rod is displaced in one direction the sponge is moved between opposing rollers which apply pressure and squeeze water out of the sponge. Movement of the rod in the opposite direction moves the sponge outwardly from between the rollers into cleaning position. One such roller sponge mop is disclosed in Johnson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,287.
Because the sponge has a limited useful life it must be replaced periodically. Accordingly, roller sponge mops are provided with a replaceable cleaning assembly consisting of a sponge mounted in an elongated channel member or retainer. One such replaceable cleaning assembly is disclosed in Wilson U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,259. However, the assembly disclosed in the Wilson patent requires a separate latch plate to secure the rod hook in place in the retainer. This complicates removing a worn assembly from the mop and installing a new assembly.
Batchelor U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,323 also discloses a sponge mounted in a retainer for a roller mop. While that retainer is commercially useful, and even though it is structurally relatively simple, it is still more involved than is desired. Additionally, the rod hook would sometimes disengage from the retainer during use.
A need thus exists for a simpler structure which will facilitate installation and removal of a replaceable cleaning assembly used on a roller sponge mop.